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jrs, I am thoroughly convinced that the hike down hurts more than the hike out. It took me 2 days to get over "the Kaibab shuffle" (you know the way you walk after getting up off the ground that 1st morning) after hiking down. I felt little or no soreness after hiking out.

We are now ready to start our way down the Great Unknown.We are three quarters of a mile in the depth of the earth.We have an unknown distance yet to run, an unknow river yet to explore.What falls there are, we know not; what rocks beset the channel, we know not; what walls rise over the river, we know not. Ah, well! We may conjecture many things. The men talk as cheerfully as ever; jests are bandied about freely this morning; but to me the cheer is somber and the jests are ghastly. Powell 1869

you are so right, 1st third seems like, this isn't going to be so bad, bout time you go through tunnel and start down legs start letting you know, i think its why so many day hikers get into trouble, especially in summer, drinking only little water no salty snacks, muscle is used to pushing instead of the constant catching and lowering, but your right, its the reason i stay extra night then haul before dawn. I'm almost never sore or hurting as fatigued, until i get to the showers, then wine, balsamic vinegar, olive oil & spices and bread, then really sleep. Of course you feel frisky @ river because of elevation, bout 5k up u start feeling the effects, but its all worth it. In fact you've bout talked me into one more time. BTW you know there a gentleman who lives and works on the southside, he makes about 45 crossing (both ways) every year, last year he turned 80 and to celebrate he made 80 round trips, one of the rangeretts introduced me when he was up on the north rim, nice guy just really lean, LOL

Gotta admire anyone who can do that, and has the opportunity to be there. Sounds like Harvey Butchart. He hiked into his 80's and most of it was off trail. Another good read is "Grand Obsession" by Butler & Myers. Tom Myers is one of the authors of "Death in the Canyon".

We are now ready to start our way down the Great Unknown.We are three quarters of a mile in the depth of the earth.We have an unknown distance yet to run, an unknow river yet to explore.What falls there are, we know not; what rocks beset the channel, we know not; what walls rise over the river, we know not. Ah, well! We may conjecture many things. The men talk as cheerfully as ever; jests are bandied about freely this morning; but to me the cheer is somber and the jests are ghastly. Powell 1869

GC hanging

At the campground at the North Rim, in the section for those who walked in, I hang in the back of it, putting up the hammock late in the evening.

At the walk in campground at the south rim, the handout instructions state that you should take down your hammock each day. That is permission to hang!

Those two contractor operated campgrounds are managed by two different businesses.

At the Bright Angel campground in the bottom of the GC, look at hanging from under the bridge. Take a bug net and maybe wait until late to put up your hammock.

Just outside the Park boundaries, on both sides of the GC, are forests with free, open, unassigned camping. Your GC Park entry fee is good for a week, so camp outside the Park unless you are a pedestrian.

If you can, start your hikes by moonlight and headlamp to be on the trail long before dawn. It will make the rest of that day easier.

We were at the Grand Canyon over Labor Day weekend. We talked to the rangers at the visitor center about doing the Rim to Rim hike next yr. I asked if there were places at the campsites along the trail so we could hang a hammock. He said there are places to hang them.

There are times that the only way you can do something is alone – that waiting on the convenience of others means that a lot of opportunities will pass you by
Spirit Walker

Religion was invented when the first con man met the first fool.” ― Mark Twain

Who cares about showers, gourmet food, using flush toilets. Just keep on walking and being away from it all.